Dispensing receptacle for comminuted comestibles



J. JQSEPH July 9, 1957 DISPENSING RECEPTACLE FOR COMMINUTED COMESTIBLESFiled June 22, 1954 FIG.

Q INVENTOR. iW/ f" FIG. 2

ATTORNEYS- 2,798,648 Patented July 9, 1957 United States Patent OfiticeDISPENSING RECEPTACLE FOR COMMINI JTED COMESTIBLES James Joseph, EastCleveland, Ohio, assignor to T. R. Zettelmeyer, as trustee ApplicationJune 22, 1954, Serial No. 438,427

4 Claims. (11. 222-478 glass, having an open upper end and provided atthe upper end with integral external threads. The upper end is closed bya suitable lid having a depending peripheral flange which is threadedcomplementarily to the threaded end of the container so that the lid canbe detachably screw-fitted on the container and retained by the threadsin fixed position in all tilted, including inverted, positions of thecontainer.

The lid has a dispensing or discharge port which usually is directedlaterally of the lid and is disposed eccentric to the axis of the lid.The port is closed by suitable external pivoted flap which rests inoverlying relation to the port when the container is supported in itsnormal position on its base and which swings open by gravity when thecontainer is tilted.

Such dispensing receptacles have become very widely used but have theserious disadvantage in that they. are difiicult to refill. For example,in the course of daily use, it quite often happens that the lids areinadvertently caused to strike against each other and against otherobjects with resultant deformation of the threads and often with bendingof the peripheral flange so that it does not fit the receptacle. As aresult of this deformation of the lids and threads, the lids are veryditficult to remove and reconnect.

Again, due to moist weather or to the locally caused moisturenecessarily present at restaurant tables and soda fountains, sugar andlike comestibles which are hygroscopic tend to soften and penetratebetween the surfaces of the lid and container and there form a gummymass or resolidify so as to cause the lid to adhere quite tightly to thecontainer.

A considerable amount of time is required during the course of the dayfor removing the lids from such dispensing receptacles, refilling thereceptacles, and then replacing the lids. Generally, this refilling mustbe done rapidly and without adequate time to thoroughly clean thethreads of the containers and lids before reconnect ing them. Thesedifficulties are aggravated at soda fountains because the attendantshands quite generally are not thoroughly dry and when attempting torefill the containers and replace the lids, water is transferred to thelids and containers.

The present invention is one which facilitates the filling of suchdispensing receptacles by making possible the filling of such dispensingreceptacles without removal of the lid and more particularly, thefilling of the container while it is held in one hand and without theuse of the other hand. i

p The invention comprises a dispensing receptacle having a lid which isdetachablysecured thereon in the conventional manner so as to retain itsposition in all tilted, including inverted positions of the container.The lid has the usual discharge port. In addition, the lid has a fillingopening larger than the discharge port and disposed so that a dependingfilling spout from a bin of the comestible can be inserted through thefilling opening axially by lifting the container thereagainst when theopening is in alignment with the spout, the filling opening normallybeing closed by a spring-seated valve which is displaced from itsclosing position by the filling spout as the filling spout is insertedinto, and passed through, the filling opening. 7

Various objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description wherein reference is made to thedrawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention and inwhich,

Figure l is a top plan view of a sugar dispensing receptacle embodyingthe principles of the present invention; t

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the dispensing receptacle illustratedin Figure 1, part thereof being shown in section as indicated by theline 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the lid of thereceptacle and is taken on the line 33 in Figure 2; i

Figure 4 is a top plan view of a saltcellar embodying the principles ofthe present invention; and,

t Figure 5 is a front elevation of the saltcellar shown in Figure 4,part thereof being shown in section as indicated by the line 55 inFigure 4.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the dispensing receptacle comprisesa suitable container 1 which preferably is generally cylindrical andopen at the top, and a closure or lid 2 which is detachably secured infixed position on the upper end of the container 1.

For purposes of illustration, the container 1 is shown as one formed ofglass or other thermo-plastic material and having a bottom wall 3 onwhich it is supported in normal non-dispensing position. The open top ofthe container 1, indicated at 4, provides a filling opening whichin theconventional form ofthe dispenser is made accessible for filling byremoval of the lid 2. The lid 2 is detachably secured to the container 1so as to retain its position thereon in closing relation to the openupper end 4 in any and all tilted, including fully inverted, positionsof the container 1.

A suitable means for detachably securing the lid 2 in fixed position onthe container 1 in closing relation to the open upper end and forretaining the lid in said rela tion in all positions of the containermay comprise the conventional external threads 5 molded into the upperend of the container and complementary internal threads 6 provided inthe peripheral flange 7 of the lid 2. The lid 2 is provided with adischarge or dispensing port 8 which is closed by a gravity seated flapvalve 9. The structure thus described is one well known in the art andwidely used in restaurants and soda fountains at the present time.

In accordance with the present invention, the lid 2 is provided with afilling opening, indicated at 10, the opening preferably being definedby an internal depending flange 11 and being larger than the port 8.

Mounted on the lid 2 is a flap valve 12 which is yieldably held by asuitable spring 13 in closing relation to the opening 10. The valve 12preferably is .mounted in the lid 2 so as to open inwardly of thecontainer 1. It can be readily moved out of closing relation to theopening 10 by insertion of a filling spout S into the container 1axially through the filling opening 10. A convenient arrangement forthis purpose is one such as illustrated in which the valve 12 is mountedon a suitable pivot .14 having its axis off-set from and angularlydisposed with respect to the axis of the opening 10.

Thus, without removing the lid 2, the container 1 can .be held in itsupright non-dispensing position in one .hand beneath the filling spout Sof a suitable bin and lifted so as to cause insertion of the spout Sthrough the opening 10 a sufficient distance into the inside of thecontainer 1, to engage and open the valve 12 and discharge thecomestible from the spout S into the container without striking the .lid'2.

The control of the flow of the comestible from the spout may be by anysuitable means. Usually such spouts are so arranged they are renderedoperativeto dis charge when lifted slightly. *In such cases, theygenerally are provided with arms such, as indicatedat A, which areengaged by the lid for lifting the spout thereby. The spout'S isself-closing upon lowering the receptacle *therefrom. The type ofcontrol used for the 'filling spout forms no, part of the presentinvention.

Referring next to Figures 4 and 5, the invention is shown embodied in asaltcellar comprising a container 15 and a lid 16 similar tothecontainer 1 and lid-2 heretofore described, except considerablysmaller. The container and lid are detachably secured by the threads, asindicated at 17. The lid has a filling opening 18 closed by aspring-seated valve 19 similar to the valve 12 :heretofore described.

In this form of the invention, the lidi-s provided with a plurality ofdischarge ports 20 instead of a single' port 8 and in addition, thevalve'itself-is'prov-ided with one or more ports 21. Thus convenience infilling is obtained without atsacrifice in a number of ports availablefor dispensing very finely comminuted comestible in small quantities. Itis apparent that the saltcellar lends itself to filling readily withoutremoval of the lid 6.

It is to be noted that in the foregoing description, the valve wasreferred to as spring-seated and this term is used to include a valveseated by a spring or by other resilient means. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A dispensing receptacle for comminuted comestibles and comprising acontainer having an opening, a .lid,

means detachably securing the lid in fixed position on the container inclosing relation to the opening and retaining the lid .in said fixedposition in all tilted, including inverted, positionsof the container,said lid having a filling opening therein through which a comestible maybe introduced into the container while the lid is in said fixedposition, a spring seated valve normally closing said opening, saidvalve having a plurality of small discharge ports therein and alignedwith said opening.

2. A dispensing receptacle according to claim 1 characterized in thatthe lid also has a plurality of small discharge ports therein.

3. A dispensing receptacle for comminuted comestibles and comprising acontainer having an opening, a lid, said lid having a dependingperipheral side wall detac'hably engaging the side wall of the containerand securing the lid in .fixed position on the container in closingrelation to the opening and retaining the lid in said fixed position inall tilted, including inverted, positions of the container, said lidhaving a discharge port of which the inlet end is located near the upperlevel of the container when the container is supported in its normalnon-dispensing position, said lid :having a filling opening thereinthrough which comminuted comestibles rmay be introduced into thecontainer while the lid is in said fixed position, said fillingopeningbeing at .the center of the lid and being of greater diameterthan said port, an inturned annular flange disposed about the peripheryof said filling 'opening and extending toward the inside of thecontainer so as to provide a short passage leading from the fillingopening into the top of the container, and so as to provide a radiallythin annular seat which is exposed downwardly when the container issupported in its normal non dispensing position, said opening andseating area being close to the upper level of the container, and aspring seated valve carried .by said lid and normally seated against.said annular seat and closing said filling opening and arranged to openinwardly of the container, and said valve having substantial radialclearance with respect to the side walls of the container and of the lidin all positions of the valve.

4. .A dispensing receptacle according to claim 3 characterized in thatsaid valve has at least one discharge port therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

